The eastern bell kept ringing.
Its rapid strikes rolled across the village, cutting through the smoke, the shouting, the frightened cries of livestock, and the exhausted breathing of everyone who had already spent hours fighting to keep their home standing.
Orion reached the eastern gate first.
Doran arrived seconds later.
Finn followed, bow in hand, face pale with exhaustion.
Beyond the gate, twelve wolves moved around the abandoned wagon.
They were thinner than the wolves from several nights ago.
Hungrier too.
One tore uselessly at a split sack of grain, driven more by desperation than understanding.
Another paced beside the wagon, nose constantly lifting toward the village.
Toward the sheep.
Toward the goats.
Toward blood.
The rest watched.
Not charging.
Not fleeing.
Waiting.
That was what worried Orion.
The animals caught in the tide had been panicked.
These wolves weren’t.
The stampede had passed.
Now instinct had returned.
And instinct told them there was food behind the wall.
Finn swallowed.
“Twelve.” Doran glanced toward him.
“You’ve learned to count.” Finn would’ve laughed on another day.
Tonight, he only tightened his grip on the bow.
Orion looked toward the eastern palisade.
Unlike the western section, it had suffered little damage.
The gate remained reinforced.
The watch fire still burned.
Several lanterns hung along the wall.
They had a strong position.
What they didn’t have was endless strength.
The defenders arriving behind them looked exhausted.
Two farmers leaned heavily on their spears.
One young hunter had lost half his arrows.
Another man’s hands were blistered from gripping a bowstring for too long.
The blacksmith arrived carrying three replacement spear shafts.
“What’s left?” Orion nodded toward the gate.
“Wolves.” The blacksmith peered through the opening.
“Of course.” He sighed.
“Why couldn’t it be rabbits?” “Because you complain too much,” Doran said.
“Then Garrick should’ve attracted dragons.” Doran almost laughed.
Orion didn’t.
“Where is Garrick?” “With Elena.” “How bad?” “Shoulder’s out.” The blacksmith winced.
“He’ll survive.” “Unfortunately.” That came from Garrick himself.
Everyone turned.
The old hunter walked toward them with his left arm strapped tightly against his body.
Elena followed several steps behind him, looking furious.
Orion stared.
“You were told to stay inside.” “I was told many things during my youth.” “How many did you listen to?” “Very few.” Elena pointed at him.
“He is not fighting.” Garrick opened his mouth.
“No.” The old hunter closed it again.
Even Orion almost smiled.
Elena looked toward the wolves beyond the gate.
Her expression hardened.
“Finish this.” “We will.” She looked directly at Orion for one second longer than necessary.
Then turned back toward the treatment area.
Garrick watched her go.
“Terrifying woman.” Orion nodded.
“You’re lucky she likes you.” “I’d hate to see her angry.” “She is angry.” Garrick considered that.
“Oh.” …
The wolves moved closer.
One stepped away from the wagon.
Twenty-five paces.
Its head remained low.
Orion raised his hand.
Every hunter behind the palisade went quiet.
“No shots unless I call them.” Finn glanced toward him.
“We can’t scare these away like before?” “Maybe.” Orion looked toward the watch fire.
“But they’re more desperate.” Doran understood.
“Hunger beat their fear once already.” “Exactly.” Orion pointed toward several villagers.
“Bring more wood.” Then toward the blacksmith.
“Anything that makes noise.” The blacksmith grinned faintly.
“Now you’re speaking my language.” Within minutes, metal pans, old shields, hammer heads, and lengths of scrap iron had been carried toward the eastern defenses.
The wolves noticed.
Several backed away.
Not far.
Just enough.
Orion waited.
One of the animals approached again.
Its ribs were visible.
A healing wound marked its shoulder.
Finn stared.
“That’s the one.” Orion looked toward him.
“From the first night.” Finn nodded.
“The arrow.” The wound matched.
The wolf had survived.
And returned.
Not because it sought revenge.
Because it was still hungry.
That somehow made the situation worse.
Orion raised a burning branch.
The wolf stopped.
Its ears flattened.
Then another wolf joined it.
Two became three.
The villagers behind the wall tightened their grip on their weapons.
Orion threw the branch outside the gate.
Fire scattered across the dirt.
The wolves jumped backward.
“NOW!” The blacksmith slammed his hammer against an old shield.
CLANG!
Others followed.
CLANG!
BANG!
CLANG!
Villagers shouted.
Dogs barked wildly.
The noise rolled through the darkness.
Several wolves fled toward the tree line.
Five remained.
Then one of the village sheep screamed.
The sound ruined everything.
The wolves stopped.
Heads snapped toward the wall.
The wounded wolf moved first.
It ran.
Straight toward the eastern gate.
“Loose!” Four arrows flew.
One missed.
Two struck.
The wolf tumbled against the earth.
Another jumped over it.
Then another.
The remaining pack followed.
“Second volley!” Bowstrings snapped.
One wolf dropped.
Another turned.
Several scattered.
But four reached the gate.
They slammed against the reinforced wood.
The impact wasn’t enough to break it.
Then they began searching.
Scratching.
Biting between gaps.
Trying to find a way through.
“Spears!” Farmers stepped forward.
A wolf forced its snout between two logs.
A spear struck.
It yelped and retreated.
Another jumped against the gate.
Doran thrust through the opening.
The animal fell backward.
Finn stood above them on the palisade.
One wolf circled toward the side.
He drew.
Breathed.
Waited.
The animal turned toward a gap.
Finn released.
The arrow struck cleanly.
Orion saw it.
This time Finn’s hands didn’t shake.
Not yet.
…
Inside the shelter, Rowan heard the fighting begin again.
He had stopped telling stories.
The younger children were exhausted now.
Some had finally fallen asleep despite the noise.
Kael remained awake.
So did Rowan.
He sat beside him, staring toward the door.
“That’s the eastern side.” Kael blinked.
Rowan had memorized the bell signals.
“The western side broke before.” He swallowed.
“But the eastern wall is stronger.” Kael couldn’t answer.
Rowan looked toward him.
“Father’s there.” That explained why he hadn’t slept.
Kael reached for his hand.
Rowan immediately took it.
Neither brother needed anything more.
Nearby, Elena worked on Garrick’s shoulder.
The old hunter sat on a stool, jaw clenched.
“This is unnecessary.” Elena didn’t look at him.
“Your arm is hanging incorrectly.” “That’s how it always looks.” “No.” She grabbed his wrist.
Garrick’s expression changed.
“Wait.” Elena moved.
A dull pop sounded.
Garrick’s face went white.
Kael almost respected him for not screaming.
Almost.
Then— “SON OF A—” Several children woke.
Elena stared.
Garrick cleared his throat.
“…goat.” Rowan blinked.
Kael’s tiny shoulders almost shook with silent laughter.
Elena tied the support more tightly.
“You are staying here.” Garrick breathed heavily.
“Yes, ma’am.” That, more than anything, told Kael how badly the old hunter was hurt.
…
At the eastern gate, the attack had already begun thinning.
Two wolves lay outside.
Another limped away.
Several had retreated toward the wagon.
The remaining animals hesitated.
They wanted food.
But the village had become pain.
Fire.
Noise.
Arrows.
Spears.
Orion could almost see instinct returning.
One wolf backed away.
Then another.
Doran whispered, “Don’t chase.” Orion nodded.
Nobody fired.
The wolves moved toward the wagon.
Then toward the trees.
For a few seconds, Orion believed that was the end.
A howl answered from farther south.
Every wolf froze.
Another howl followed.
Finn looked toward Orion.
“More?” “Probably scattered animals.” The howl came again.
Closer than Orion wanted.
Then the wolves outside answered.
Not one voice.
Several.
The sound spread across the valley.
For one uneasy moment, the darkness seemed full of them.
Orion closed his eyes briefly.
Not another attack.
Please.
Not because he was afraid to fight.
Because everyone behind him had reached their limit.
He opened his eyes.
The wolves at the wagon turned south.
One followed the distant calls.
Then another.
Within moments, the surviving animals disappeared between the trees.
The howls faded with them.
Nobody moved.
Orion waited.
A minute.
Then another.
Five.
Nothing returned.
Doran slowly lowered his spear.
Finn sat down against the palisade.
The blacksmith looked toward Orion.
“Can we say it now?” Orion glanced at him.
“Say what?” “Is it over?” Orion looked toward the dark fields.
The main tide had already moved south.
No fresh animals crossed the distant slope.
No hoofbeats shook the earth.
Even the forest seemed quieter.
He wanted to say yes.
But experience wouldn’t allow it.
“Not until sunrise.” The blacksmith sighed.
“You really hate happiness.” “Go get some water.” “See?
There it is again.” Still…
For the first time that night, people smiled.
…
The hours before dawn were the longest.
Nobody relaxed completely.
Hunters remained at every watch post.
The fires were fed.
Broken weapons were replaced.
The eastern gate stayed closed.
At the western side, villagers built a rough barricade across the breach using carts, broken logs, furniture, and two doors removed from empty homes.
Nobody cared how it looked.
It only had to survive a few more hours.
Orion walked the village.
He checked every position.
Asked about injuries.
Counted arrows.
Helped reinforce the western gap.
When there was nothing else left to do, he finally entered the central storehouse.
The smell hit him first.
Herbs.
Blood.
Smoke.
Sweat.
Then Rowan saw him.
“Father!” The boy ran.
Orion barely managed to crouch before Rowan wrapped both arms around his neck.
For a moment…
Orion simply held him.
Kael watched from Elena’s blanket.
Orion’s face disappeared against Rowan’s hair.
His shoulders trembled once.
Only once.
Then he pulled back.
“You stayed inside.” Rowan nodded proudly.
“I helped.” “I heard.” “I carried water.” “So I was told.” “And I told everyone how Garrick fought three hundred wolves.” From the corner came Garrick’s voice.
“Five hundred.” Rowan turned.
“You said—” “I’ve had time to remember.” Elena rolled her eyes.
Orion laughed.
A tired laugh.
But real.
Then he moved toward Kael.
He knelt.
Kael reached up immediately.
Orion gave him his finger.
This time…
Kael held it tightly.
Orion didn’t pull away.
…
Dawn came slowly.
Gray first.
Then pale gold.
The mountains emerged from darkness.
The northern fields became visible.
No running herds.
No wolves.
No boars.
Only torn earth.
Broken fencing.
Tracks.
Blood.
Signs of the night everywhere.
Orion climbed the western wall—or what remained of it.
Garrick joined him despite Elena’s threats, one arm bound against his chest.
Below them, villagers cautiously opened the eastern gate.
Nobody went far.
Hunters inspected the surrounding ground first.
The valley was quiet.
Finn looked toward the southern road.
“They’re gone.” Garrick nodded.
“Most of them.” The tide had moved on.
The mountain’s hunger had flowed around and through the village…
And continued south.
Behind Orion, people began emerging from houses and shelters.
Families found one another.
Children stepped into the morning light.
Farmers checked livestock.
The carpenter stared at the ruined western wall and muttered something deeply personal about boars.
The blacksmith laughed.
Then the laughter stopped.
People began counting.
The injured.
The missing livestock.
The damaged homes.
The broken defenses.
One hunter had nearly lost his leg.
Several villagers carried serious wounds.
But everyone who had entered the shelter was alive.
Everyone who had stood the walls had returned.
Orion closed his eyes.
Only for a moment.
Garrick noticed.
“We got lucky.” Orion opened them.
“No.” Garrick looked toward him.
Orion watched Rowan carrying yet another unnecessarily small bucket of water toward Elena’s treatment area.
He saw Bren already examining the broken wall.
The blacksmith gathering damaged spearheads for repair.
Farmers calming frightened animals.
Neighbors checking each other’s homes before their own.
“We prepared.” Garrick considered that.
Then nodded.
“And got lucky.” Orion smiled faintly.
“That too.” The morning sun rose above the mountains.
For the first time in days…
No bell rang.
No one shouted a warning.
No animals ran across the valley.
The village simply stood.
Damaged.
Exhausted.
Alive.
Kael watched the sunrise from Elena’s arms.
His first calamity in this life had ended.
No legendary warrior had saved them.
No miracle had descended from the heavens.
No overwhelming power had appeared at the final moment.
Ordinary people had repaired fences.
Sharpened spears.
Carried water.
Prepared medicine.
Shared food.
Held frightened children.
Stood beside one another when the walls broke.
And survived.
Kael looked toward Orion.
His father was exhausted.
Dirty.
Covered in scratches.
Completely ordinary.
Yet in Kael’s eyes…
He had never looked stronger.
The village had survived the tide.
Now came the harder part.
Living with what it had left behind.
End of Chapter 20.